Learning Technologies
Learning Technologies
Overview
Learning technologies encompass a diverse and evolving range of tools, applications and platforms that can enhance both the teaching and learning experience. From assisting with content generation and assessment design to enhancing interactive opportunities, learning technologies allow educators to create more engaging experiences that cater to diverse learning styles and needs. Of course, educators must approach the use of these tools with a clear understanding of their educational goals and the unique needs of their learners. By choosing the right technologies with intention and purpose, teachers can leverage these tools to create truly effective and meaningful learning experiences.
To assist in the process of considering and comparing learning technologies, we have classified each technology in terms of its recommended application for teaching and learning activities: Delivery, Interaction and/or Assessment.
Delivery refers to sharing content with students, including lecture presentations, readings or other resources to support their learning.
Interaction includes facilitated opportunities for students to interact with teachers and/or one another, whether synchronously or asynchronously.
Assessment covers activities associated with feedback, submission and marking.
Explore some of the most common learning tools used in ABP using the navigational sidebar on the top-left corner of the page. Click on the name of the tool in the table to access more information about that tool.
When using third-party technologies in teaching and learning, please be conscious of personal information that may be collected from staff and students. A Privacy Impact Assessment will test whether third-party technology providers meet the University's legal obligations under applicable privacy laws. This is particularly relevant for third-party technologies not already provided by the University. Click here for more information on Privacy Impact Assessments, including a list of completed assessments for learning technologies, and how to request assessment for a new technology.
Many of the learning tools listed in this BEL+T resource are supported by the University as indicated in the License Type column. Please confirm licensing information as necessary with Learning Environments, including potential differences in privacy settings between software releases or free and purchased versions.
For additional guidance, you can follow these 5 tips for assessing and selecting digital education tools.
If you use or are considering a tool that is not listed here, get in touch with BEL+T at abp-belt@unimelb.edu.au.
Tools for Delivering Content
Delivery refers to sharing content with students, including lecture presentations, readings or other resources to support their learning. The following tools offer innovative ways to present information and deliver educational content to enhance student learning.
Tool | Tool Description |
Kaltura is a video management system (VMS) which can be used by staff to create videos and share with students directly through the LMS. Upload, manage, embed, and curate libraries of videos all within your LMS subject site | |
The Echo 360 Lecture Capture system records lectures in supported venues around the campus. These lectures are automatically uploaded to the LMS for students to access | |
Readings Online lets staff provide and manage copyright-compliant readings for subjects, allowing students to access articles, books and other material via the LMS in an organised manner | |
Microsoft Teams is a collaborative software integrated with the LMS, enabling students and staff to communicate on projects and other group tasks, with capabilities for creating team-based workspaces and hosting video meetings | |
Zoom enables live video conferencing for online classes, meetings, events and webinars. | |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. | |
Microsoft Sway allows users to create presentations with multimedia elements. It can be used by both staff and students to create visually engaging content. | |
H5P allows users to create interactive content that can be embedded in the LMS. Educators can design quizzes, interactive videos, virtual tours and more to enhance student learning. | |
Mural is a digital workspace for collaborative brainstorming and visual sharing. It promotes creative teamwork, allowing students to collaborate on projects and visualise ideas effectively. | |
Miro offers a collaborative whiteboarding platform for real-time visualisation and brainstorming. It supports interactive discussions and visual exploration of concepts among students and instructors. Miro offers greater agency and flexibility than Mural, but has a steeper learning curve. | |
Pedestal3D is a platform for storing, managing and sharing 3D assets. Pedestal allows users to measure, screenshot, annotate and view objects via a web URL. | |
Modelo supports managing and sharing 3D content. It allows uers to collaborate, share and markup design assets and build presentations around the 3D models. | |
Nearmap provides high-resolution, regularly updated aerial photography of Australia. With Nearmap, users can measure distance and area with precision, access demographic and other information overlays, and observe photography through time. | |
Padlet is a versatile content-sharing platform for collaborative work. Students and educators can post text, media and ideas on interactive boards, fostering engaging group activities. |
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
Kaltura is a video management software designed for sharing video content. With Kaltura, users can:
- Create a video repository from personal devices
- Record video content directly
- Share a video library in Kaltura through Canvas
- Explore analytics to understand student engagement with content
Resources + Support
- BEL+T Guide on Kaltura 360 Videos
- Learning Environments Kaltura Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
The Echo 360 Lecture Capture system records lectures in supported venues around the campus. These lectures are automatically uploaded to the LMS for students to access. Lecture Capture allows users to:
- Record presentations and edit captioning
- Create a video repository on the LMS
- Share videos with other University staff and students
- Livestream lectures from personal devices or selected University venues, viewable by students via LMS
Resources + Support
- Learning Environments Lecture Capture Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
Readings Online lets staff provide and manage copyright-compliant readings for subjects, allowing students to access articles, books and other material via the LMS in an organised manner. With Readings Online, users can:
- Organise subject readings ensuring copyright compliance
- Provide students with access to digital resources such as journal articles or books
- Create reading lists that can be reused in future subjects
- Export citations into a citation manager to create bibliographies
- Explore analytics on student access and use of each reading material
Resources + Support
- Learning Environments Readings Online Guide
- University Library Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
Microsoft Teams is a collaborative software integrated with the LMS, enabling students and staff to communicate on projects and other group tasks, with capabilities for creating team-based workspaces and hosting video meetings. With teams, users can:
- Create group chats for team-based activities
- Share readings and resources with peers
- Create channels for organisation and storage of files for group or individual activities
Resources + Support
- Learning Environments Teams Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
Zoom enables live video conferencing for online classes, meetings, events and webinars. With Zoom, users can:
- Host video/audio meetings accessible via computer and smartphone
- Deliver and record presentations, meetings, special events and webinars
- Allow attendants to share their screens for in-class presentations; use annotation tools and polling functions to encourage interaction.
- Create breakout rooms to divide large groups into smaller discussion groups.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Zoom Guide
- Zoom website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery, Interaction & Assessment | University License, access through Canvas | Low | ✓ |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. With Perusall, users can:
- Facilitate reading, annotating and discussions of uploaded readings on a 'social eTextbook' platform
- Allocate marks to each student based on their contribution to discussion and readings
- Explore analytics of student engagemen, such as reading and annotation patterns.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Perusall Guide
- Perusall Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Medium | ✓ |
Microsoft Sway allows users to create presentations with multimedia elements. It can be used by both staff and students to create visually engaging content.
- Create and share web-based reports or documents
- Create a library of videos and photos
- Facilitate multimedia submissions and presentations using templates
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Sway Guide
- Microsoft Sway Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Assessment | University License, access through Canvas or H5P website | Medium | ✓ |
H5P allows users to create interactive content that can be embedded in the LMS. Educators can design quizzes, interactive videos, virtual tours and more to enhance student learning. With H5P, users can:
- Create interactive HTML content and share through a web browser or embed in LMS site
- Create interactive assessment activities to gauge comprehension, such as multiple choice quizzes
- Create virtual site visit images with interactive hotspots.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments H5P Guide
- H5P Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | Educational License | Low | - |
Mural is a digital workspace for collaborative brainstorming and visual sharing. It promotes creative teamwork, allowing students to collaborate on projects and visualise ideas effectively. With Mural, users can:
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities on a web-based platform
- Share a board of collated, curated resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals, etc.
Resources and Support
- Mural Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | Educational License | Low | - |
Miro offers a collaborative whiteboarding platform for real-time visualisation and brainstorming. It supports interactive discussions and visual exploration of concepts among students and instructors. With Miro, users can:
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities on a web-based platform
- Share a board of collated, curated resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals, etc.
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Miro Guide
- Miro Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Pedestal3D is a platform for storing, managing and sharing 3D assets. With Pedestal, users can
- Share 3D resources with students through a web-based platform
- Collect 3D files for design project submissions
- Facilitate feedback for the moderation of 3D submissions
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Pedestal Guide
- Pedestal Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | ABP License | Medium | - |
Modelo supports managing and sharing 3D content. It allows uers to collaborate, share and markup design assets and build presentations around the 3D models.
- Share 3D resources with students through web-based platforms
- Host and facilitate interactive activities, including presentations and virtual exhibitions
- Facilitate feedback or moderation of 3D submissions.
Resources and Support
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | - |
Nearmap provides high-resolution, regularly updated aerial photography of Australia. With Nearmap, users can measure distance and area with precision, access demographic and other information overlays, and observe photography through time.
- Share high-resolution aerial imagery and geospatial data
- Create annotated aerial virtual site visits with measurement tools and overlay data
- Explore historical captures to analyse patterns over time
- Integrate aerial images into GIS and CAD platforms
Resources and Support
- Nearmap Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Padlet is a versatile content-sharing platform for collaborative work. Students and educators can post text, media and ideas on interactive boards, fostering engaging group activities.
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities on a web-based platform
- Share a board of collated, curated learning resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals, etc.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Padlet Guide
- Padlet Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Tools for Facilitating Interaction
Interaction refers to facilitated opportunities for students to interact with teachers and/or one another. The tools listed below can assist educators in creating engaging interactive opportunities that enhance the overall learning experience.
Tool | Tool Use |
Microsoft Teams is a collaborative software integrated with the LMS, enabling students and staff to communicate on projects and other group tasks, with capabilities for creating team-based workspaces and hosting video meetings | |
Zoom is a videoconferencing software that facilitates virtual meetings, webinars, and interactive discussions. | |
Mozilla Hubs is a virtual platform for interactive gatherings and discussions, offering customisable virtual environments for hosting events. | |
Mural is a digital workspace for collaborative brainstorming and visual sharing. It promotes creative teamwork, allowing students to collaborate on projects and visualise ideas effectively. | |
Miro offers a collaborative whiteboarding platform for real-time visualisation and brainstorming. It supports interactive discussions and visual exploration of concepts among students and instructors. Miro offers greater agency and flexibility than Mural, but has a steeper learning curve. | |
Padlet is a versatile content-sharing platform for collaborative work. Students and educators can post text, media and ideas on interactive boards, fostering engaging group activities. | |
Pedestal3D is a platform for storing, managing and sharing 3D assets. Pedestal allows users to measure, screenshot, annotate and view objects via a web URL. | |
Modelo supports managing and sharing 3D content. It allows uers to collaborate, share and markup design assets and build presentations around the 3D models. | |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. | |
Qualtrics is a survey software used for conducting surveys, collecting data, and obtaining feedback for various purposes. | |
Poll Everywhere is a tool for conducting real-time polls and gathering audience responses during presentations and lectures. | |
Feedback Fruits is a collaborative tool that enhances discussions, activities, and peer feedback within educational settings. |

Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Delivery and Interaction | University License | Low | No |
Microsoft Teams is a communication, file sharing and project management tool. With MS Teams, users can:
- Share files between staff and students
- Provide a collaborative space for asynchronous communication
- Integrate external tools
- Manage projects
- Host synchronous meetings for students and/or staff
Resources + Support
- Microsoft Teams website
- Learning Environments Teams Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Interaction | University License | Low | ✓ |
Zoom enables live video conferencing for online classes, meetings, events and webinars. With Zoom, users can:
- Host video/audio meetings accessible via computer and smartphone
- Deliver and record presentations, meetings, special events and webinars
- Allow attendants to share their screens for in-class presentations; use annotation tools and polling functions to encourage interaction.
- Create breakout rooms to divide large groups into smaller discussion groups.
Resources and Support
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Mozilla Hubs is a virtual collaborative space. With Mozilla Hubs, users are able to
- Host online meetings or exhibition in 3D virtual environments
- Share 2D and 3D virtual content (no VR headset required)
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Hubs Guide
- Mozilla Hubs Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery and Interaction | Educational License | Low | - |
Mural is an interactive digital white board tool. With Mural, users can
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities and web-based platform
- Share board or collated, curated resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals etc
Resources and Support
- Mural Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery and Interaction | Educational License | Low | - |
Mural is an interactive digital white board tool. With Mural, users can
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities and web-based platform
- Share board or collated, curated resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals etc
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Miro Guide
- Miro Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery and Interaction | University License | Low | ✓ |
Padlet is an interactive post-it board. With Padlet, users can:
- Facilitate collaborative brainstorming activities on a web-based platform
- Share a board of collated, curated learning resources
- Create boards for presentations, visual portfolios, journals etc
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Padlet Guide
- Padlet Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery and Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Pedestal 3D is a 3D object management and display platform. With Pedestal 3D, users can:
- Share 3D resources with students through a web-based platform
- Collect 3D files for design project submissions
- Facilitate feedback for moderation of 3D submissions
Resources and Support
- BEL+T Guide
- Pedestal 3D Website
- Learning Environments Guide
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | ABP License | Medium | - |
Modelo supports managing and sharing 3D content. It allows uers to collaborate, share and markup design assets and build presentations around the 3D models.
- Share 3D resources with students through web-based platforms
- Host and facilitate interactive activities, including presentations and virtual exhibitions
- Facilitate feedback or moderation of 3D submissions.
Resources and Support
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery, Interaction & Assessment | University License, access through Canvas | Low | ✓ |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. With Perusall, users can:
- Facilitate reading, annotating and discussions of uploaded readings on a 'social eTextbook' platform
- Allocate marks to each student based on their contribution to discussion and readings
- Explore analytics of student engagemen, such as reading and annotation patterns.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Perusall Guide
- Perusall Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Qualtrics is a survey software used for conducting surveys, collecting data, and obtaining feedback for various purposes. With Qualtrics, users are able to:
- Create online surveys to collect student feedback
- Design surveys with logic to adapt questions to individual responses
- Evaluate survey responses using easy-to-use data analysis features
- Produce data visualisation and export results for dissemination
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Qualtrics Guide
- Qualtrics Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Poll Everywhere is a tool for conducting real-time polls and gathering audience responses during presentations and lectures. With Poll Everywhere, users can:
- Create polls and collect responses
- Activate and distribute polls during synchronous sessions through the LMS
- Import activity reports to the Canvas Gradebook for marking
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Poll Everywhere Guide
- Qualtrics Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Interaction + Assessment | University License | Low | ✓ |
FeedbackFruits is a collaborative tool that enhances discussions, activities, and peer feedback within educational settings. With FeedbackFruits, users can:
- Facilitate opportunities for students to provide and receive feedback
- Facilitate opportunities for students to interact and collaborate on various learning objects (presentations, documents, etc)
- Create evaluations for students to provide feedback on group member contributions
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments FeedbackFruits Guide
- FeedbackFruits Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Tools for Enhancing Assessment
Effective assessment practices are essential in guiding student learning. The following tools allow educators to create innovative forms of assessment and streamline assessment-related activities, including feedback provision, plagiarism detection and peer reviews.
Tool | Tool Use |
Cadmus is a platform for assessing written submissions. Educators can evaluate students' work and provide feedback. | |
Gradescope streamlines the marking process. It supports rubrics and offers efficient feedback mechanisms for various assignments. | |
Turnitin detects plagiarism in written assessments, ensuring originality and upholding academic integrity standards. | |
Poll Everywhere is a tool for conducting real-time polls and gathering audience responses during presentations and lectures. | |
H5P allows users to create interactive content that can be embedded in the LMS. Educators can design quizzes, interactive videos, virtual tours and more to enhance student learning. | |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. | |
Feedback Fruits is a collaborative tool that enhances discussions, activities, and peer feedback within educational settings. | |
PebblePad allows users to design ePortfolios. Students can showcase their learning journey, skills and academic growth. |
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment | University License | Low | ✓ |
Cadmus is a platform for assessing written submissions. With Cadmus, educators can:
- Facilitate writing-based assessment tasks in a dedicated environment (marks are integrated into Canvas LMS)
- Access the platform's library of assignment templates based on your learning outcomes and pedagogical needs
- Explore analytics to gauge student progress
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Cadmus Guide
- Cadmus Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment | University License | Low | ✓ |
Gradescope streamlines the marking process. It supports rubrics and offers efficient feedback mechanisms for various assignments.
- Facilitate opportunities for students to provide and receive feedback
- Grade digital and (scanned) paper-based submissions collectively
- Expore analytics of student achievement
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Cadmus Guide
- Cadmus Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment | University License | Low | ✓ |
Turnitin detects plagiarism in written assessments, ensuring originality and upholding academic integrity standards. With Turnitin, users can:
- Review 'Similarity Report' scored based on how student submissions compare to proprietary database and internet sources (integrated with LMS)
- Review identified matches within individual submissions to inform feedback
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Turnitin Guide
- Turnitin Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Interaction | University License | Low | - |
Poll Everywhere is a tool for conducting real-time polls and gathering audience responses during presentations and lectures. With Poll Everywhere, users can:
- Create polls and collect responses
- Activate and distribute polls during synchronous sessions through the LMS
- Import activity reports to the Canvas Gradebook for marking
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Poll Everywhere Guide
- Qualtrics Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery + Assessment | University License, access through Canvas or H5P website | Medium | ✓ |
H5P allows users to create interactive content that can be embedded in the LMS. Educators can design quizzes, interactive videos, virtual tours and more to enhance student learning. With H5P, users can:
- Create interactive HTML content and share through a web browser or embed in LMS site
- Create interactive assessment activities to gauge comprehension, such as multiple choice quizzes
- Create virtual site visit images with interactive hotspots.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments H5P Guide
- H5P Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery, Interaction & Assessment | University License, access through Canvas | Low | ✓ |
Perusall is a social annotation platform that allows readings to be group learning experiences. Students collaboratively annotate readings, promoting active comprehension and peer interaction around course materials. With Perusall, users can:
- Facilitate reading, annotating and discussions of uploaded readings on a 'social eTextbook' platform
- Allocate marks to each student based on their contribution to discussion and readings
- Explore analytics of student engagemen, such as reading and annotation patterns.
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments Perusall Guide
- Perusall Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Interaction + Assessment | University License | Low | ✓ |
FeedbackFruits is a collaborative tool that enhances discussions, activities, and peer feedback within educational settings. With FeedbackFruits, users can:
- Facilitate opportunities for students to provide and receive feedback
- Facilitate opportunities for students to interact and collaborate on various learning objects (presentations, documents, etc)
- Create evaluations for students to provide feedback on group member contributions
Resources and Support
- Learning Environments FeedbackFruits Guide
- FeedbackFruits Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments
Recommended for | License | Complexity | Integrated in Canvas |
---|---|---|---|
Delivery | University License | Low | ✓ |
Cadmus is a platform for assessing written submissions. With Cadmus, educators can:
- Provides a platform for students to document and present their learning and extracurricular experiences in the form of an ePortfolio
- Allows for a continuous record of activities, encouraging opportunities for each student to reflect on, and make sense of, their learning journey
Resources and Support
- PebblePad Website
- For support requests, contact Learning Environments